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As

Au, Pd, Pt

C, S

ICP40

ICP16

ICP10

Hg

NAA

Sb

Se

Te, Tl

W

XRF

NURE

Analysis at XRAL laboratories by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) / Metaborate Fusion

Method

Sixteen major, minor, and trace elements were determined by ICP-AES. Sample aliquots of 100 mg are fused with lithium metaborate in a graphite crucible. The digested samples are aspirated into the ICP-AES through a high-solids nebulizer, and the elemental emission signal is measured simultaneously for the sixteen elements. Calibration is performed with synthetic standards. Analytical data for an experimental run are deemed acceptable based on results determined for two in-house quality-control standards: recovery for all elements present at >5 times the detection limit must be within 15% of the certified value, and the calculated relative standard deviation of duplicate samples is no greater than 15%.

Reporting limits for 16 elements measured by ICP-AES/Metaborate Fusion.
Element Units Lower limit Upper limit
Aluminum % 0.01 15
Barium ppm 10 100 000
Calcium % 0.01 35
Chromium % 0.01 10
Iron % 0.01 30
Magnesium % 0.01 30
Manganese % 0.01 10
Niobium ppm 10 100 000
Phosphorous % 0.01 25
Potassium % 0.01 25
Silicon % 0.01 30
Sodium % 0.01% 30
Strontium ppm 10 100 000
Titanium % 0.01 25
Yttrium ppm 10 100 000
Zirconium ppm 10 100 000

Data analysis

Distribution maps

Element
QA/QC
Conter-
minous
Alaska
Hawai`i
Al (wt%) In progress no data no data
Ba (ppm) In progress no data no data
Ca (wt%) In progress no data no data
Cr (ppm) In progress no data no data
Fe (wt%) In progress no data no data
Mg (wt%) In progress no data no data
Mn (ppm) In progress no data no data
Nb (ppm) In progress no data no data
P (wt%) In progress no data no data
K (wt%) In progress no data no data
Si (wt%) In progress no data no data
Na (wt%) In progress no data no data
Sr (ppm) In progress no data no data
Ti (wt%) In progress no data no data
Y (ppm) In progress no data no data
Zr (ppm) In progress no data no data

(Return to Analytical Methods Page)

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
This page is part of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2004-1001
URL: http://www-tin.er.usgs.gov/geochem/doc/icp16.htm
Maintained by Jeff Grossman
Last modified: 15:03:11 Tue 06 Jan 2004
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